


Living in the Vault

by Vaulttie



Category: Fallout 3
Genre: Angst, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 13:27:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13548291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vaulttie/pseuds/Vaulttie
Summary: Lilian McKenzie's life is far from perfect, but it gets a hell of a lot more complicated when the overseer pairs the vault's residents up in order to boost vault population. Forced to marry her childhood bully and expected to conceive a child with him, can she deal with her new 'husband' or will she escape?





	1. Drowning

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry, I know this whole "breeding program" thing has been way too much. I just love this pair and I wanted to try my hand at writing something like this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilian McKenzie's life is far from perfect, but it gets a hell of a lot more complicated when the overseer pairs the vault's residents up in order to boost vault population. Forced to marry her childhood bully and expected to conceive a child with him, can she deal with her new 'husband' or will she escape?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, I know this whole "breeding program" thing has been done way too much. I just love this pair and I wanted to try my hand at writing something like this.

 

Lilian groaned, her hand moving to swat at her Pip-Boy in the hopes to stop it’s incessant beeping. She blinked against the harsh fluorescent lighting as she tried to get her bearings. She was on the couch in the clinic, a fantasy novel from the vault library on the floor next to her. There was a blanket covering her, her father must have put it there instead of waking her. She stood and stretched, her back sore from falling asleep in an uncomfortable position while reading.

“Finally awake, I see.” Her father rounded the corner, already dressed in his lab coat, ready to start the work day.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m up.” Lilian replied. She glanced at her Pip-Boy, which read 6:04 A.M.. She still had two hours before she needed to head to work. She had been assigned a job as a maintenance technician by the G.O.A.T. which meant all the years spent studying medicine so she could work in the clinic with her father and Jonas were for nil. Stanley wasn’t so bad, though, if a little slow.

“Book must have been pretty good, if you read it ‘till you passed out.” Her father teased. She only grunted in response, walking past him into their shared apartment. She showered and changed into a fresh vault suit. Checking her Pip-Boy again, it was 6:52 A.M.. She grabbed some breakfast and settled in to continue reading her book until she had to leave for work.

 

It was a little while after noon, and she was heading toward the diner to get lunch when the overseer’s voice crackled over the intercom system. “All vault residents report to the atrium. Anyone caught disobeying risks punishment.” _What the hell?_ Lilian thought, in all of her near twenty years she had never been to a gathering of the _entire_ vault. She altered her path, her feet taking her toward the atrium now.

She heard footsteps somewhere behind her, and turned to see Amata jogging slightly to catch up. “Hey, Lil.” She greets with a familiar smile.

“Hey, ‘Mata. You know what that’s all about?” Lilian asked, gesturing upwards at the intercom speakers.

“No, my dad hasn’t told me anything about this.”

“Weird.” Lilian replied. But they both knew it wasn't all that weird. They knew that her father has kept many secrets from her, secrets from the vault. They arrived at the atrium, the majority of the vault had already gotten there by the time they entered the large room. They managed to find an empty space on a bench against the wall, and sat, waiting for the overseer to begin.

“Settle down, everyone.” The overseer stood at the front of the room, Lilian’s father beside him. Just this fact unsettled Lilian, Overseer Almodovar hates both her and her father, everyone knew it. So the sight of them standing so calmly side by side was a strange one. Then, she looked more closely at her father, and she saw the angry glare he was directing at the overseer, a vain pulsing in his forehead. _Uh oh, something’s got dad pissed._

She didn’t have time to continue that train of thought, as the overseer had begun speaking again. “As you all know, the vault’s population is far below what it should be, according to Vault-Tec protocol. And it has come to my attention that the vault’s young adults are taking no steps toward solving this problem.” Lilian’s stomach dropped, she didn’t like where this was going. Murmurs of confusion drifted throughout the room as the vault residents realized what he meant. “I believe I have given them ample enough time to start producing the next generation, yet they have not done so. This forces me to take initiative and attempt to kick start the next generation myself.” Confused murmurs became louder, turning into quiet exclamations of anger and disbelief.

Lilian’s blood ran cold and she froze, eyes growing wide with horror. She was dimly aware of Amata, teary-eyed with fear and grasping at her hand for comfort. She could understand why Amata was so afraid, none if the men within their age range were exactly... favorable, and for Amata, she was being forced to bang one of them by her own father. However, she paid no attention to her best friend, as the overseer was now talking about her father. “Doctor McKenzie has kindly tested the DNA of the residents who are within their fertile years and paired them up according to genetic compatibility. These pairs will be married and expected to produce children as soon as possible.” _Bullshit! Almodovar is too much of a control freak to leave it up to ‘genetic compatibility’ besides, he’s not going to let Amata get stuck with just **anyone** who’s DNA works well with her’s._

“I ask that you remain quiet as I read off the pairs. After the couples have been announced, please remain where you are to receive additional information.” Lilian was a deer in headlights as raised his Pip-Boy and began to list off the pairs. _I’m too damn young to get married! I’m still a goddamn teenager, for fucksake!_ She turned her attention back to the overseer as he told them all who they would be forced to spend the rest of their lives with.

She listened intently for her name, but when she finally heard it, she wished she hadn’t. “Butch DeLoria and Lilian McKenzie.” _No. No! NO NO NO!_ Lilian felt like she was drowning, an overwhelming sense of fear dragging her under, filling her lungs until she couldn’t breath. _Out of all the GODDAMN people in the vault, I get stuck with_ ** _that_** _asshole?!_ Somewhere in the back of her head she registered the fact that Amata had gotten paired with Freddie Gomez. _Good, at least one of us will be treated with respect. That just confirms that this is rigged, though, Almodovar paired his daughter with one of the only guys who isn’t a complete ass._

The sound of the overseer addressing them again drifted to her ears, muffled by her sheer panic. She managed to make out that they would be called to the atrium again tomorrow for the ‘ceremony.’ Water closed over her head again and she was lost to the waves of fear. She only resurfaced when she felt her father gently shaking her shoulder.

“It’s time to go, honey.” She looked around, only to realize that they were the only ones left in the room. She let her father guide her back to their apartment as she grasped desperately at any way to escape this nightmare.


	2. Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amata tries to make light in a dark situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My LW is a dork that reads far too much fiction for her own good.

Lilian listened carefully as her father relayed to her the information she had missed while she was internally freaking-the-fuck-out. The ‘ceremony’ would be held tomorrow at noon, only the ones getting married where required to be present, but family members were allowed to attend, and formal attire was welcome, but not necessary. 

“Did you know about this?” She couldn’t help asking her father. It was obvious he _did_ know beforehand, she really wanted to know why he didn’t _tell_ her.

“Yes, I knew about the overseer’s disgusting plan,” her father began. “But you have to realize that I couldn’t have told you. If I had, he would have found out and taken our food ration tickets away. Or worse.”

Lilian sighed, as much as she wanted to be able to be mad at someone right now, it wasn’t her father’s fault. “I understand, dad. I just… I just wish he didn’t have the power to do this. Even more so, I wish he wasn’t so fucked up of a person to actually go through with it.”

“Language, young lady.”

“Sorry, dad.”

"Just watch it in future."

"I will. I've got to get back to work."

 

After work, Lilian and Amata made their way down to the reactor level. It was Lilian’s shooting-range-turned-secret-hideout. They sat silently side by side on the floor, still trying to absorb the day’s events.

“Are you gonna wear a dress?” Amata asked, trying to lighten the mood. “I’m wearing the one my mom wore when she got married.”

“We both know this is less of a marriage and more of some twisted form of torture, ‘Mata. Besides, where would I even get a dress?”

“Ask your dad, maybe your mom had one. And you can’t tell me you don’t want to wear one, we sat and planned out our whole weddings when we were kids!” Amata had her there, she had always wanted a beautiful wedding, like the ones she’d read about in romance novels. She had even sketched out her dream dress. In all honesty, she had meticulously planned everything except _who_ she was going to marry. The only person her age that she actually liked being around was Amata. They had tried dating once, but in the end Amata was too scared that her dad would find out, so they broke up, but remained close friends.

“Of course I want to wear a dress, but what’s the point? I got paired with _Butch,_ it’s not like he cares weather or not I wear something pretty, he’s still gonna make my life hell.”

“Don’t think of it as wearing a dress for the wedding, think of it as wearing a dress for _you,_ because _you_ want to.”

 

After a lot of nagging and arguing, Lilian finally agreed to ask her father if her mother had worn a wedding dress when she got married. “Hey, dad…” She began hesitantly, walking into the clinic where he was working intently at his desk.

“What is it, sweetie?” He asked, looking up from his papers.

“Well, I was wondering… Did mom have a dress when you two got married? And if she did, do you have it?” The doctor looked taken aback, as if that was the last question he would expect his daughter to ask.

“Uh, yes, she did have a dress. And I do happen to have it… Might I ask _why_ you want it?”

Lilian sighed, she had half expected this. “Dad... I read a lot of romance and fantasy books when I was younger, heck, I still read them now, but the point is that they influenced me a lot. And it may seem childish or silly, but I always wanted to have a perfect wedding if I got ever married. And even though I absolutely despise what the overseer is doing, I’m not going to let him _completely_ ruin this for me.” _That, and Amata wouldn’t let me get out of this._

Her father nodded, standing up and walking around his desk to hug her, then disappeared into his room. When he emerged a few moments later, he was holding an old box that had obviously seen many years. It used to be light blue, but had yellowed at the edges and had bits of dirt and dust clinging to it here and there. He sat it down on the table in front of her and gestured for her to open it. She carefully took the lid off, revealing a mass of fabric that had once been white, a long, long time ago. She pulled the dress out of the box and held it up to examine. It was simple, A-line, strapless, and floor length.

She looked up at her dad, she was almost surprised that she actually liked it. “It’s beautiful, dad.”

“Your mother made it herself. I remember how hard it was for her to find the material,” He said with a slight chuckle. “Try it on.”

And Lilian did just that, she went into her room and put on the dress. She twirled around a bit, mesmerized by the way the fabric swirled around her. With a little difficulty, she made her way out to where her father waited, the dress tripping her up a little, as it was an inch or so too long. _Why do I have to be so damn short?_

“A perfect fit, if a bit long,” Her father laughed. Then he sighed, his voice becoming slightly more serious. “You look so much like Catherine.”

“Thanks, dad, really.” Her father just gave her the same sad smile he always wore when he talked about her mother. She went back to her room, returned the dress to it’s box, and settled in for the night with her book.

 

Lilian was once again awoken by her relentlessly beeping Pip-Boy. She didn’t have to work that morning, what with the big ‘wedding’ and all, so she rolled over to try and get some more sleep. Just when she was slipping back into slumber, however, she once again disturbed. This time, the thing that woke her was an overly excited Amata shaking her shoulder.

“Come on, we have _a lot_ to do!”

“Ugh, what the hell Amata? It’s not even 7 A.M. yet.”

“I know that! But I also know you, and you won’t be putting any effort into your appearance. So if I have to get both of us ready, I need to start early.” She stated, matter-of-factly. Lilian climbed out of bed, rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes.

“Why bother, ‘Mata?”

“Because you’re only going to get married for the first time once, and it should be special, no matter how much of an asshat your spouse is.” Lilian reluctantly agreed, at which Amata started turning her tiny bathroom into a beauty salon. She instructed Lilian to shower, and had breakfast waiting for her when she got out. Lilian ate quickly, and was mildly horrified at returning to find Amata with her hair completely done up in curlers.

“Doesn’t that _hurt?_ ” Was her response when questioned about her surprise. She was extremely relieved when, even after being assured that the curlers _didn’t_ hurt, Amata informed her that she wouldn’t need to use them.

“You’re hair is already naturally wavy, and you never wear it down, so I’d say we can just leave it like it is.” Amata told her. “I _do_ want to put a little makeup on you, though.” She guided Lilian to sit in a chair, but the shorter girl flinched as soon as Amata brought the mascara wand to her eye. “You have to hold _still!_ ”

_Wouldn’t be so hard if you weren’t trying to jab my eye out!_ Lilian thought, but did as she asked. At around 11 A.M. Amata had finished getting them ready, and was beaming at their image in the mirror.

“I’m impressed with myself.” Amata said as she carefully tucked a lock of her own dark hair into place.

“I’m impressed with you, too, ‘Mata.” Lilian replied, with a laugh. She was entranced by the stranger who stared back at her from the mirror. She had wavy blonde hair that flowed a little ways past her shoulders, bright green eyes framed with thick, dark lashes, and pink lips that curved into an awed smile. Amata was as beautiful as the gorgeous stranger, with her dark hair curled around her face in bouncy ringlets, and she had used _just_ enough makeup to bring out her natural features. _Wow… Amata deserves_ ** _a lot_** _of credit for this. That person in the mirror_ ** _can’t_** _be me._

They put on their dresses, oohing and ahhing over each other’s appearance. Amata’s dress wasn't as plain as Lilian’s, but it wasn't overly gaudy either. They left their Pip-Boys in Lilian’s apartment and made to leave, when Lilian’s father stopped them. He just hugged his daughter with tears in his eyes, complemented Amata’s dress, and let them go on their way.

 

Before they turned the corner that would lead them to the atrium, the girls shared a look that communicated every unspoken fear they had concerning what they were about to walk unwillingly into. In a sudden wave of emotion, Lilian pulled the other girl into a tight hug.

“You look beautiful ‘Mata. Thank you, for everything,” Lilian whispered. The feeling that their lives were about to change completely was almost overpowering. The two embraced a moment longer, before parting, and continuing into the atrium. _The first steps into my own personal Hell. I can’t wait._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try and update once a week-ish. If, that is, you still want me to continue.


	3. Frozen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ceremony is here, and Lilian isn't ready to become a missus. But this is something she can't get out of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the doors in the vault are sliding doors, and they probably wouldn't have a metal key, but please bear with me.

The young adult residents of vault 101 stood in two lines on either side of a makeshift altar. The men were in a line to the left of the overseer, who stood under the altar, facing the residents, and the women were lined up to his right. The whole ‘ceremony’ seemed like unnecessary theatrics to Lilian, there were no vows, no ‘I do’s, it was only a bunch of nineteen-ish year olds stepping up to sign a piece of paper that said they were married, then walking away.

They didn’t seem to be lined up in any particular order, other than the fact that the person they had been paired with stood directly opposite them in the other line. Lilian was immensely thankful that she wasn’t first in line, she was also thankful for the fact that she and Amata weren’t the only ones dressed up. Susie Mack stood at the front of the girls line, wearing her normal vault suit and looking unamused. Paul Hannon Jr., who had been paired with Susie, stood at the front of the boys line. He was wearing dress pants, an almost-white button up, a tie, and an upset expression that told Lilian that the man had expected his partner to dress up as well. Behind Lilian was Amata, who stood across from Freddie Gomez. Freddie had, thankfully, also attempted to look decent for the event. Lilian was happy that Amata didn’t have to deal with being the only formally dressed one in her pairing. _I’m happy for her. At least she has a chance at being **not** miserable, in this fucked up situation._

Reluctantly, Lilian forced herself to look at the man standing across from her. He had found an old pair of jeans, which he wore with a button up, a tie that he had given up on tying half-way through, and on top of it all, his signature Tunnel Snakes jacket. She moved her eyes to his face, only to find that he had been staring at her as well. His expression was unreadable, but something about his blue eyes boring into her had her averting her gaze.

She found it slightly humorous that more men had dressed up than women. Then, she _really_ realized just how _few_ of them there were. A quick head count had her coming to the conclusion that Wally and Christine had escaped this Hell on Earth because they were cousins. _So, it seems that his daughter is more important to the overseer than the vault. I’m not surprised. He may be a sorry excuse for a human being, but at least he loves his kid._

“Quiet down, everyone.” Lilian barely managed to stop herself from snorting out loud. _‘Everyone’? The only other people here are our parents, and even they are dreading this._

“Let’s begin this ceremony that will join these people, and assure the future of our vault. When called, each pair will step forward, sign your names, retrieve your rings, then move to let the next couple through. I do ask, however, that you all remain until the ceremony has completed.” The light tone of the overseer’s voice said that this occasion was a happy one, and an uninvolved onlooker might perceive it as that. But the tense, somber atmosphere that hung in the room was palpable. _Cut the shit, Almodovar, no one wants to be here longer than we have to._

Her attention snapped back to the overseer as he called the first pair forward. “Paul Hannon Jr. and Susie Mack.” Susie rolled her eyes and took the three necessary steps to stand in front of the overseer. Paul, with slightly more hesitance, joined her. The overseer started to recite some bullshit speech about matrimony, Lilith focused instead on making sure she didn’t start hyperventilating.

“Butch DeLoria and Lilian McKenzie.” Lilian froze, her blood turning to ice. Her heart seemed to freeze, as well, she could not longer hear it hammering in her chest as it had been a second ago. Everything seemed far away as she robotically forced stiff legs to carry her toward the overseer. He continued to drone on in that same speech he had given not thirty seconds ago. Lilian tuned out the old man as her eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape route. She was beginning to panic, realizing she had no way out of her current situation, when a pen was pressed into her hand.

She stared down at the object as if it was from an entirely different world. After a second of confusion, she realized she was expected to sign her name. She was still half frozen, her hand shaking violently. She looked at the paper, Butch’s untidy scrawl sitting on a line next to a blank one. With some effort, she managed to pen a shaky version of her signature on the line next to Butch’s. The pen in her hand was replaced with another foreign object. A ring.

A shitty little stainless steel ring that she was expected to wear, even if the person who held it’s pair couldn’t stand her. Somehow, through the cold that had seeped into her bones, she could feel Butch’s body heat next to her as they moved over to where Paul and Susie were standing. It was unnerving, frightening, even. The only time he had ever been this close was when he would try to beat her up, or when he would trap her in a corner and hurl insult after insult at her.

 

A memory played in her head: They were fourteen, it was just before class started and Butch was trying to get her to let him copy the answers from the homework he didn’t do. She had refused, obviously. Why would she help someone like him? He told her that he would hurt her if she didn’t hand it over. There was no one around to help her, he had stopped her on her way to class, blocked the only way through. Being fourteen, and just discovering the wonders of PMS, she was temperamental, and uncharacteristically violent. She egged him on, telling him that she wasn’t scared (she was), and that she would tell Mr. Brotch (she wouldn’t). She had made him angry enough that he punched her square in the face. That wasn't anything new, it had happened before, but this time, instead of starting to cry and running off to tell the nearest authority figure (even though Butch always got away with it), she stood back up. She’d wiped away the blood that had started trickling from her nose, and just looked at him. She held his gaze for one moment, then another. Then, before he could react, she slapped him hard across his cheek, she had been too short to be able to land a good punch on his face, still was. She managed to hit him with enough force that his head swung to the side, when he looked back at her, he was more angry that she had ever seen him before. She didn’t remember much after that, just waking up in the clinic a few hours later, sore, bruised, and bandaged.

She was yanked back to the present when the overseer called Amata and Freddie forward. She watched Amata, partly because she was concerned about how her friend was fairing, but mostly to distract herself from her new ‘husband’. The pair at the altar finished signing their names and turned to join the other four. Lilian saw Freddie shoot a wink at Amata, and watched as Amata blushed and looked away. _She’ll be fine, she might even end up being happy with Freddie. I can only hope that Butch will be civil enough that we can mutually ignore each other._ Lilian sighed and looked up as the overseer addressed them one last time.

“You will each receive a key to your new apartments. If all goes well, within the next few years the vault will have plenty of little ones roaming it’s halls. You all have the next two weeks off of work. Think of it as a…. Honeymoon.” He had only addressed the ‘newlyweds’ as he spoke, his tone and demeanor attempting to make them feel as if it was a _privilege_ to be forced to marry someone they didn’t wish to. The overseer moved over to where they stood, pressing a small key into each of their hands.

The little piece of metal felt unnaturally warm in Lilian’s cold hand as she turned it over to read the apartment number on it. She heard a small _clink_ as the key touched another metal object she held in her palm. She looked down to see she still held the ring. She risked a glance up to if Butch had put his on. He hadn’t. She tried to discreetly slip the offending jewelry into the pocket of her vault suit, only to remember that she wasn’t wearing it. _The_ ** _one time_** _I need those damn pockets…_

The congregation quickly split apart, the parents finding their children, hugging them and speaking to them in hushed tones. Lilian was frozen in place, her legs turned to a block of ice. The full reality of her situation slammed into her hard enough to knock the air from her lungs.  _I am going to have to be in the same room as Butch. I am going to have to be in a room with Butch **alone**. I am going to have to **spend the night** in the same room as Butch. What if he hurts me and I can't escape? What if starts hitting me and doesn't stop? He didn't seem to have much self control last time..._  Her breath came in short, staccato bursts. She could feel a panic attack creeping up on her. She fought back the urge to run, to hide in some dark corner until she woke up from this damn nightmare. She felt like she was about to reach her breaking point, when she felt fingers gently brush against her wrist. Her eyes shot up to the person touching her, Amata. She relaxed slightly, the presence of her best friend calming her.

Amata leaned down to whisper into Lilian’s ear “I’m always here, Lil. If you ever need to escape for a while, there’s always my place, or your secret hideout.” She moved back to look at Lilian's face, her own showing concern.

Lilian nodded, feeling like she would need to take Amata up on her offer. “Thanks, ‘Mata.” Amata gave her a reassuring smile, which Lilian did her best to return. Clenching her key and the ring in one hand, and holding her dress up with the other, Lilian turned to make her way out of the atrium. She was out of the room, and making her way down the hallway, when something caught the skirt of her dress, tripping her. She barely managed to keep her footing, and turned to see what had been the cause.

Butch had followed her without her knowledge, and he was now laughing at her shocked expression. “Walk much, nosebleed?” He asked between chuckles. Lilian attempted to maintain her composure, taking a calming breath, and turned her back to him, her goal being her apartment. Her _old_ apartment, she reminded herself, but Butch wasn’t done with her yet. He matched pace with her, having to shorten his strides to match hers. “Why’d ya wear that thing, anyway? Pretty impractical if ya ask me.”

She smothered her flaring temper as she continued on. She kept her eyes straight ahead of her, ignoring the idiot beside her. “Aw, c'mon, don’t be like that! We’re hitched now, ain’t we? You can’t ignore me forever.” _That’s what you think._ Lilian thought as she stepped into the apartment she shared with her dad, and shut the door behind her. “You don’t have to be such a bitch!” She heard him yell at her from the other side of the door. She took a long breath in through her nose and closed her eyes, leaning back against the door before exhaling. _What am I gonna do? I can’t hide here, I don’t want to go to the new apartment, he’ll be there._

She shoved away from the door, making her way to the small bathroom that she and Amata had spent the morning getting ready in. _I’ll start with changing out of this goddamn dress, then I’ll deal with everything else._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about writing the next chapter in Butch's point of view, thoughts?


	4. Butch's Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Butch recalls the events from before and during the ceremony.

The day that the whole vault had been called down to the atrium, Butch was glad to get away, with there being so few people in the vault, business was slow. It wasn’t uncommon for him to go an entire day without having to cut anyone’s hair. He had been annoyed, but not all that surprised to find out that he got stuck with Lilian, it was just his luck that he would get paired with _her_ . It’s not like he hated the girl, it’s just that whenever he was around her he got so… so _frustrated_. He didn’t know how to handle the feeling other than aggression directed at her. He’d never had the patience or will to stop and examine why he felt that way, but then again he’d never had the patience or will to do anything that didn’t directly and instantly benefit him.

After the overseer told them that they were all being forced to get hitched, Paul, Wally, and Freddie had wanted to skip the rest of the work day and hang out. Any other day he would have agreed, and he was going to, but then Wally, who wasn’t even part of that whole shit show, had the nerve to give him shit about getting stuck with nosebleed. After cussing him out, Butch went down to the reactor level. He’d found Lilian’s ‘secret hideout’ years ago, but never said anything because it gave him a place to smoke when no one else was down there.

He had been hanging around down there all day, when he’d heard footsteps coming toward the door. He cursed under his breath, extinguished his cigarette, and ducked behind a crate to hide. He heard two people walk in and sit on the floor, he’d assumed it was Lilian and Amata. The two girls had been silent for a while before he heard Amata speak.

“Are you gonna wear a dress? I’m wearing the one my mom wore when she got married.” _Ugh, girl talk. Just what I wanted._ He held back an annoyed sigh as the other girl began to speak.

“We both know this is less of a marriage and more of some twisted form of torture, ‘Mata. Besides, where would I even get a dress?” _Nosebleed’s got a point. Ain’t none of us wanna go through with this._

“Ask your dad, maybe your mom had one. And you can’t tell me you don’t want to wear one, we sat and planned out our whole weddings when we were kids!” Butch rolled his eyes, he’d expected nothing less from the vault’s two biggest nerds.

“Of course I want to wear a dress, but what’s the point? I got paired with _Butch,_ it’s not like he cares weather or not I wear something pretty, he’s still gonna make my life hell.” _She’s not wrong there, I couldn't care less what she wears, but it’s not like I’m_ ** _planning_** _to make her life hell._

“Don’t think of it as wearing a dress for the wedding, think of it as wearing a dress for _you,_ because _you_ want to.” _Could she be_ ** _any_** _more cheesy?_

After arguing a little while longer, the girls _finally_ left. He’d groaned as he stood, stretching out his back and legs after being crouched down for so long. He had gotten to thinking, while he tried to tune out the girls’ arguing, about the chance to wear something that _wasn’t_ the vault suit. He absolutely _despised_ that ugly ass vault suit. He knew instantly that he wasn’t going to pass up the chance to wear something he actually _wanted_ to wear. A little while later, he had managed to scrounge up some jeans, a button up, and even a tie. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with his new duds, but they would have to do.

The next day, he put on his clothes, added his leather jacket, and carefully styled his hair into it’s signature pompadour. When he got to the atrium he’d nearly laughed out loud at the overseer’s shitty attempt at setting up an altar. He took his spot in the men’s line and settled in to ignore Almodovar’s dumbass speech, when he noticed Lilian. He was in utter shock to realize that nosebleed actually looked… _decent_. He was even more surprised to see that she had curves under the vault suit. When she wore the suit, it effectively made her body look shapeless, when that was definitely _not_ the case.

He moved his eyes from the dress she was wearing, to her face. _Is nosebleed wearing makeup!?_ In all the years that he’d known her, she was the _last_ person  he would expect to wear makeup. _And her hair is actually down. When was the last time that happened?_ He then noticed her green eyes moving from person to person, studying them. He had noticed a while ago that she tended to do that, observe people. _Not like I look at her all the time or anything…_ When he realized that he was still staring at her, it was too late. Their eyes met and she stared back for a second, before seeming to realize that he was looking at her, as well. Her eyes darted to the floor, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. _That’s kind of… cute… Wait! What the fuck? That’s_ ** _nosebleed_** _over there, Butch! Get ahold of yourself. She can’t be cute, she’s a nerd. And a dweeb._

After he had signed his name on the paper Almodovar had shoved in front of him, he’d handed the pen to Lilian. He saw that her hand was shaking, badly. _Damn, nosebleed looks really freaked out. Whatever, it’s not like I care. But… Is she scared of…_ ** _Me_** _?_ Without really paying attention to what was happening elsewhere in the room, he and Lilian moved off to the side to let the last pair through. He was distracted by the girl next to him, she was almost _cringing_ away from him, her arms wrapped around herself, like she was some scared little kid.

He was pondering why she would be so afraid of him, when he was hit with a memory: They had been thirteen? Fourteen? Something like that. He hadn’t done the homework, he never did, and he was trying to harass nosebleed into giving him the answers before class started. She was being a little shit, bluffing that she wasn’t scared and that she would tell on him (What was she, five? Trying to tattle like a little kid. It’s not like he ever got in serious trouble, anyway). He finally reached the end of his patience, and popped her right in the nose. She fell to the ground, like she always did. He had expected her to run off crying, leaving her homework behind, then he’d be able to take it. But this time, she just got up, wiped away the blood, and stared at him. He’d had to admit, she looked a little badass in that moment, well as badass as a little blonde girl, less than five feet tall, _could_ look. Her hand flashed out, and before Butch knew what was happening, his head was flung to the side and his cheek stung like a motherfucker. The little bitch had _slapped_ him! He was furious, more angry at her than he had ever been before. He shoved her down and beat her up, she had tried to fight back, but her attempts were feeble and did little to hinder him. He hadn’t stopped until he realized that she was no longer conscious. He honestly _did_ feel bad after that, but would he ever apologize? Hell no.

He was pulled from his memory when Amata and Freddie walked over to join the rest of them. He barely listened to the overseer, only paying him any attention when the old man  handed him a key. He stuffed the small piece of metal into his jacket pocket, just like he had done with the ring. He glanced back at Lilian, only to see that the small girl was freaking out, even worse than before. He was going to say something, but before he could open his mouth, Amata shoved past him, gently grabbing Lilian’s wrist and leaning down to whisper to her. The shorter girl seemed to come back to herself after a few moments, gathering up her dress and walking out of the room.

He hadn’t thought about what he was doing, he just… followed her. He noticed that the bottom of her dress was dragging on the ground. He held back a snicker as he stepped on it, watching as she tripped and turned around to look at him with the most _shocked_ expression… Butch lost it, dissolving into laughter. She turned and started to march away from him. Again, without thinking, he followed her, matching his strides to hers. He attempted to talk to her, but the only way he knew how was through teasing and poking fun at her, trying to make it into a joke.

Now Butch just stood, staring at the door as it closed in his face. _What a great way to start a marriage, calling your wife a bitch._ He thought, sarcastically. The word sounded strange, foreign to him: _wife_. He had never planned on getting married, much less to _nosebleed_ , but he found that he didn’t want to live the rest of his life fighting with Lilian. He stood outside the door for a while longer, long after he heard her footsteps retreat further into the room. He didn’t know what he was waiting for. For her to come out? To talk to him? He was turning to leave when he ran into her father, Doctor McKenzie.

He stepped back, murmuring an apology and moving to walk around the doctor. The older man fixed him with a cold, hard stare, one eyebrow raised as if asking why he was standing outside of his apartment. Butch ducked his head, walking slightly faster to avoid an awkward conversation with Lilian’s father. He decided to head to his apartment and start moving his things to his new one. It wouldn’t take long, the vault’s residents tended not to possess many personal belongings. _Probably should have packed all my shit up this morning... Ehh, the extra sleep was worth it._

By the time he had packed all of his things into a box and found the new apartment, Lilian was already there, neatly unpacking her belongings, while still leaving space for his stuff. She gave no indication that she knew he was there, she probably didn’t. His first thought was that he should scare her, just to see the stupid look on her face. He never had the chance to, though, as she turned around and spotted him standing in the doorway. She was momentarily surprised, obviously not expecting him to be there, before heaving an annoyed sigh and looking at him in a way that meant that she had something to say, but she didn’t want to have to talk to him.

“I suppose we should discuss some ground rules.” She said, all business. Butch rolled his eyes, but walked further into the room to talk to her. _‘Ground rules’ pfft. she_ **_would_ ** _be the kind of person to set up rules._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not used to writing in the perspective of characters that aren't mine, so any advice/constructive criticisms would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


	5. Rules (Kind Of)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilian lays down her ground rules.

Lilian took off the wedding dress, carefully folding it and returning it to it’s box. She grabbed a vault suit, tugging on the garment that now seemed especially drab after wearing her dress. She moved into the bathroom, which was still a bit messy from when Amata had played beautician that morning, and scrubbed off the makeup that her friend had carefully painted on. Once her face was free of the makeup, she pulled her hair into it’s usual lazy bun. Returning to her room, light glinting off metal caught her eye. It was the ring and the key, sitting on her bedside table where she’d left them.

She sighed, grabbing the offending objects and shoving them into her pocket so that she wouldn’t have to look at them. She sat on her bed, burying her head in her hands. _Today’s already been too much to handle. What the hell even happened earlier? I haven’t had a panic attack in years, I hope they don’t start up again. Especially not now, not now that I actually have something valid to panic about. There’s no telling what could happen if I have to be stuck in a room alone with Butch… One thing’s for certain, though, whatever happens, it won’t be what the overseer wants to happen._

Distracted by her worrying, Lilian didn’t hear the door opening. “Lilian, sweetie, are you alright?” She looked up to see her father walking into the room.

“No, not really.” She couldn’t stop her voice from shaking. Her father noticed this, and came to sit beside her on the bed.

“What’s wrong? Besides the obvious, I mean.” He asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Lilian leaned into him, drawing comfort from his fatherly concern.

“I’m scared, daddy.” Her voice was shaking even more now, close to tears as her dread mounted. She had managed to avoid Butch since they had all started working, but the last time she had any sort of contact with him before today… Well, it didn’t end very nicely for either of them.

Her father sighed, looking troubled. “I know sweetie, but there’s not much we can do. I’d say that you could stay here but…” She nodded, they both new how Almodovar could be, so they also knew that staying there wasn’t going to be an option for her. They sat like that for a few more moments before Lilian stood.

“I… I should go find my new apartment, start unpacking.” She said, grabbing the one box filled with her personal items.

“Do you need any help?” Her father stood, reaching for the box.

“I’ve got it dad, thanks.” Lilian offered her father what she hoped was a reassuring smile. He returned the gesture halfheartedly, giving her a brief hug before she turned and left. She pulled out the key as she walked, double checking the apartment number. She slowly made her way to the room, taking her time to plan what she would do.

_I won’t be able to ignore Butch forever, that much is clear. I don’t want to live my life being afraid, but I also don’t want to be in a constant fight with him. I don’t suppose he’d be willing to sit and talk out our differences… It could be worth a shot, if only as a backup plan. I don’t… I don’t even know what his_ **_problem_ ** _is. Why does he hate me so much? It’s not like I’ve done anything to him, well, nothing that wasn’t in self defense._ She paused as her mind was flooded with memories of her, tears running like twin rivers down her face, asking Butch why he didn’t like her. _I wonder how many tears I’ve cried because of Butch? Gallons, probably._

She shook herself out of the sour past when she realized that she’d arrived at her new apartment. She unlocked the door, thankful that she arrived before Butch. She looked around, taking in the bland, basic room with halfhearted interest. There was a small couch and a coffee table that served as a living room, a tiny bathroom, and in the far corner was a fridge and some other small appliances, a sorry excuse for a kitchen. It wasn’t really all that different from the apartment she had shared with her father, except this one had only one bedroom, one bed. Lilian shuddered at the thought of sleeping next to Butch. _I’ll need to set up some boundaries, some ground rules._ Lilian had first had that thought half jokingly, before recognizing that it was actually a viable idea. She began to unpack, mentally making a list of reasonable boundaries to set up between herself and Butch.

She turned around and jumped slightly, not expecting there to be a figure in the doorway. She sighed, realizing that it was just Butch. She recollected herself, pushing aside the uneasiness she always had when he was around, and initiated the conversation she had carefully planned out in her head. “I suppose we should discuss some ground rules.”

He rolled his eyes, but walked further into the room. _Good, he’s willing to listen, at least._ He stopped a few feet away from her, leaving just a bit more distance between them than what was the norm for a casual conversation. “Rules? Really, Nosebleed? This ain’t school, ya know.”

It was her turn to roll her eyes at his statement, choosing to ignore the annoying title of ‘nosebleed.’ _I wonder if even remembers my_ ** _actual name_** _._ “I am aware, Butch. I am simply attempting to _not_ make both of our live miserable. Neither of us wants this, but if you just cooperate with me, it won’t be quite so awful.”

He sighed heavily, drawn out and dramatic. “Whatever, Nosebleed. You sound like a goddamn diplomat. What are these ‘ _ground rules’_?”

“First, you have to promise that you’ll wait to say anything until I’m completely done telling you them.”

“Fiiiine. But I get to veto any of them that I don’t agree with.”

Lilian frowned, an eyebrow quirking up as a thought occurred to her. “I’m surprised you know what ‘veto’ means, or ‘diplomat,’ for that matter.” Butch just snorted, ignoring the subtle jab at his intelligence.

“Yeah, yeah, Nosebleed. You gonna tell me these rules or not?”

“Well, first off, I don’t want to be constantly fighting all the time, now, that’s not exactly a rule, more of an expectation, but it applies nonetheless.” She tried to read his facial expression, but to no avail, though he seemed to agree with her. She had always been fairly adept at reading people by their face, body language, etc., but Butch had always been the exception to her little talent. She could never read his mood, and that was one of the things that frustrated her the most about him.

“Next, I don’t want you going through my shit,” she said, gesturing at the half empty box of her belongings still sitting next to her. “Don’t touch my shit, and I won’t mess with yours.” He nodded, looking mildly amused at her use of profanity. “Now, there’s the issue of the sleeping arrangements to discuss. Obviously, there’s only one bed, I can sleep on the couch if you want or… Something. That can be worked out later, though.” He opened his mouth to say something, but she held up a finger with a quick reminder of _‘you promised,’_ and he shut it again.

“Lastly, I have a… Request. It’s totally up to you, but… I want to have to chance to talk about all… This,” she gestured at the space between them, the space that would look strange for two people to be speaking to each other across such a distance, effectively communicating the years of animosity held between them. “Now, I’m not saying I want to become best friends, or anything like that, but I want… I want to know why... Just... Why?”

He took a deep breath before answering. “Okay… I guess I’ll reply to all that in order. I will… _try_ to not fight with you. I won’t go through your shit, and I expect you won’t go through mine. The sleeping thing, Nosebleed, we aren’t kids, and it’s not like we’ll be _fucking_. Even if that’s what the overseer wants us to do. No one has to sleep on the couch,” he paused slightly before continuing. “And that last thing… maybe. I don't know, I don’t _talk_ about shit, Nosebleed,” he snorted. “You of all people should know that.”

That statement startled a laugh out of Lilian, thinking of all the times she had tried to argue with him and he resolved it with his fists instead of words. “Sooo… We have a deal?”

“That’s not really much of a deal, Nosebleed, I’m pretty sure only one of those was actually a rule.”

“Fuck off, Butch. You know what I mean.”

“Whatever, Nosebleed. I’m gonna unpack my shit.” He then turned to the box that he had carried in when he first arrived and began pulling things out of it, ending the conversation.

_That went better than expected. I didn’t get punched, at least. Maybe… Just maybe, we both have matured a little in the past few years._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five chapters in, yay!


	6. Sugar Bombs and Books

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilian and Butch have breakfast and he teases her about her height.

After Butch unpacked his things, he set off to do… whatever Butch does in his spare time, and Lilian was left alone in the apartment. She was nearly overwhelmed with a strange and unnamed feeling that made her feel off kilter. It was the oddest mix of nostalgia and unease. The source of her discomfort was the sight off her things, childhood knick-knacks, pictures, books, etc., mixed in with Butch’s belongings. She felt intrusive, even simply looking at the things Butch had laid out in their apartment. Weirder still was the fact that it was all side-by-side, the personal items of her childhood bully intermingling with her own.

She shook off the odd feeling and set out to find some dinner. There wasn’t much in the fridge, just some fruits and vegetables from the vault’s hydroponics system, a rarity these days. So she went to the diner, bringing her food back to the apartment and picking up where she left off in her book, reading while she ate. By the time she was finished, Butch still hadn’t returned, and curfew was quickly approaching. She supposed that she shouldn’t expect someone like Butch to abide by the curfew, still, she didn’t want to get in trouble for his carelessness.

She was just steeling her resolve to go look for him, when he walked through the door. The rest of that night passed in awkward silence as they got ready for bed. She dressed quickly and slipped under the covers, edging as close to the side of the bed as she could without falling off, her back toward Butch. He was doing the same, if the large expanse of empty space behind her was any indication. She could hardly believe that today actually happened, still half-clinging to the hope that she would wake up to find that it was all some awful nightmare. But she wasn’t that lucky, this wasn’t a nightmare. She fell into an uneasy sleep, half-fearing what the morning would bring.

Lilian was once again awoken by her Pip-Boy beeping relentlessly at her. She smacked at the screen until it stopped, her eyes not once opening. She sighed and burrowed back into the warmth of her bed. She was warm and content… almost _too_ warm. _Wait._ Her eyes flew open and she was greeted by the sight of Butch’s bare chest. _Oh, fuck..._ They had both apparently migrated in their sleep to the middle of the bed, and Lilian had just cuddled herself into his side. Her entire body stilled, waiting to see if he would stir from his slumber. He continued to snore, and Lilian breathed a soft sigh of relief. _A heavy sleeper, then._ She sat up, scooting a little ways away from him, and permitted herself a moment to study his features. He wasn’t a bad looking guy, tall, but not lanky, pitch black hair, now messy from sleep, a strong jawline, and high cheekbones. Lilian might even go so far as to say that he’s handsome. _Not that it matters, he’s still an asshole._

She sighed as she remembered the awkward events of last night. Discovering that he slept shirtless only when he’d pulled the garment over his head before climbing into bed, an obnoxious grin spreading over his face at the sight of the blush that had crept over her cheeks. He was the first shirtless man she’d ever seen, disregarding the diagrams from their biology textbooks and her father’s medical books, and she was caught off guard at how _casual_ he’d been about it. She wasn’t a reserved person, per se, but years of bullying and teasing had caused her to become very self conscious about her body, among other things.

She quietly slipped out of the bedroom, grabbing a vault suit on the way, and made her way into the small bathroom that connected to their apartment. She changed slowly, thinking about how she would use her time off of work. _Most of it will probably be spent avoiding Butch,_ she thought bitterly. She grabbed some Sugar Bombs from the corner that served as their kitchen, picked her book up from where she left it on the table last night, and plopped down on the couch to read and eat. She let her mind drift away from the real world and focused entirely on the fiction, and because she was so focused, she didn’t hear Butch get out of bed.

“Damn, Nosebleed. I knew you were a nerd but I didn’t think you were _that_ much of a nerd.”

“Shut up, Butch,” was her mumbled response, her attention fully absorbed in the fantasy world of the novel in her hands. She was dimly aware that he had picked up her now-abandoned box of Sugar Bombs and was chewing them loudly. She felt the couch dip under his weight as he sat down on the side opposite her, as far away as he could get while still being on the couch. She tucked her legs up so that she was curled into the corner of the couch, in an effort to get more comfortable, and huffed as Butch continued to chew loudly. It was obvious now that he was doing it to annoy her, and frankly, the sound was disgusting. It grated on her nerves and made it so that she couldn’t focus on reading.

“Could you _please_ not chew like you were raised in a barn?” she asked, finally reaching the point where she couldn’t it take any more.

“How do you know that I wasn’t?”

His answer was so snarky and annoying that she just stared at him for a few moments, an exasperated look on her face. “Because we fucking grew up together, dumbass!” His only response was a loud snort, before he scooped the last handful of Sugar Bombs out of the box, shoveled them into his mouth, then promptly threw the empty box at her. It hit her square in the nose, causing her to make a small _oof_ sound. He was still laughing at her as she picked up the box and threw it away in the small trash can that sat in the corner that was their kitchen.

“Ugh, you’re insufferable.” She returned to her spot on the couch, plucking up her book and resuming where she left off before she was so _rudely_ interrupted. He remained on the couch next to her, so she looked up at him to see why he was still there. He was looking at her, with that damn unreadable expression on his face again. _I wish I could read him like I do with others, but he’s too good at hiding what he’s thinking._ She held his stare, an eyebrow raised in questioning, until she accidentally glanced down and saw that he was still only half dressed. “Put some goddamn clothes on, will you?”

He rolled his eyes, smirking at the way her cheeks turned crimson, but stood and walked back into the bedroom. _I hope he’ll get into his thick skull that I’m not going to let him traipse around here half naked._ She settled _once again_ into the couch to read her book, wincing at the way the spine cracked as she opened it.

She was just losing herself in the plot when Butch returned, now dressed in a vault suit and that _ridiculous_ jacket. “Ya know, Nosebleed, you’re not very good company. With your nose in that book all the time.”

“You’re not exactly fabulous to be around either. What with that _awful_ nickname you've given me. Do you even remember my _real_ name?”

“Course I do, _Lilian_.” Something about her name in his voice caused a shiver to run down her spine, which in turn made her flush scarlet. He cocked an eyebrow at her reaction but otherwise said nothing on the matter. “I’m bored. What’re we doing today?”

“We? I wasn’t aware you actually could stand to be in the same room as me, let alone want to spend time with me.” She couldn't help the venom that leaked into her voice, the years of her peers alienating her slipping through the cracks in her walls, the dormant resentment rearing it's ugly head. 

“Don’t get any ideas, Nosebleed. Freddie is with Amata, Paul is with Susie, and Wally has to work, so I’m kinda outta options.” He had only hesitated slightly before answering, obviously used to sudden outbursts, which made sense, given that he has to deal with his mom... 

“How flattering.” She had begun to lose interest in the conversation, why would she want to spend to with him if she was just a last resort? She quietly turned back to her book, hoping he would decide to just leave her alone. For a few moments, she thought she was going to get to _actually_ read, but then she heard an exasperated sigh and realized that Butch hadn’t left.

“It’s rude to ignore people, Nosebleed,” was all the warning she got before the book was swiped from her hands. She whined, with a small protest of _Don’t lose my page!_ But he laughed and held the book _just_ out of reach. She stood and lunged at him to try and get it, only for him to switch it to the other hand at the last second.

“You asshole!” He was now holding it over his head, far out of her reach, forcing her to hop up and down in a pitiful attempt to retrieve her book. “If you damage it, the librarian will have my _ass_.” _That_ only caused him to laugh harder, doubling over in mirth.

She tried to take the opportunity to grab the book, but once again he held it up and out of reach, this time not even using the full extent of the length of his arm. “You’re really fuckin’ short Ya know that, Nosebleed?”

She finally gave up, out of breath and defeated, she replied: “I am aware. Can I have my book back now?” Much to her relief, he handed her the book. She quickly flipped to the page that she had been on and slipped the small ribbon that served as her bookmark between the pages.

“Now, what are we doing today?” Lilian sighed, already exhausted, and she had just gotten up. _It’s going to be a long day._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like the story is moving kind of slow, so I'll try and have the plot pick up soon.


	7. I'm Sorry (Message From Author)

Well, if there was ever a hiatus on this work, might as well go all out, right? In all seriousness I am very sorry for how long it's taken me to get back on this. I'm not going to make excuses, because I know you don't want/care to hear about it. In all honesty I'm not expecting anyone to read this, so I'm not sure why I'm writing it. This story is important to me and I'm going to continue it, that's all that matters, even if no one reads it. Even if no one likes it. I'm pulling myself out of the shithole I've been in and getting back on track. To anyone reading this, expect the next chapter to be up within the next two days, if it's not, you have my full permission to murder me. Or just leave me a very harshly worded comment, whichever suits you're fancy.


	8. Library and Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lilian and Butch decide to take a trip to the vault library, but run into some trouble on the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little short, I'm so sorry :(

“I don’t know, Butch. What do you _want_ to do?”

“I don’t _know_. That’s why I asked you.” They had been going back and forth like this for nearly five whole minutes now, both to stubborn to back down or compromise. Lilian paused, mulling over their situation before speaking again:

“Well, I’m pretty sure the overseer would be pissed if we just roamed the vault all day, seeing as he wants us to be making babies and all. I have a place we could go and not be bothered, but there’s not much to do there…”

“You’re talking about your ‘secret hideout’ right? Ya know, that place isn’t very secret. I found it forever ago.” He stated this with a condescending tone, as if he was some master sleuth for discovering it.

“I know, Butch. You aren’t exactly subtle, leaving behind the smell of smoke and cigarette butts all over the place when you spend time in there.” She smirked as his eyes widened and the slightest hint of color bloomed across his dark complexion.

“So… You knew about that, huh? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I tend to avoid confrontation, if possible. And I figured that you weren’t causing that much harm, so I let you be.”

“Now, that’s awful sweet of you, Nosebleed. But you still haven’t made any plans for today.” She took a moment to think about it. _All I want to do is sit and read…  Wait. That’s it!_

“Oh! I’ve got it. We can head up to the library and grab some books, then go down to the reactor to read them!”

“Weren’t you just all worked up about being spotted?”

“Nah, the librarian likes me, she’ll have my back.”

“That’s nice and all, but I don’t read. Good luck with your little scheme, Nosebleed.” Lilian’s face fell, and she could tell that she looked like a kicked puppy. As good as she was at reading other people’s emotions, Lilian was awful at hiding her own. _Why am I so disappointed? I should be happy that he doesn’t want to go. Then he went and got me all worked up, thinking I might have a chance to share my interests with someone,_ **_anyone_ ** _. But why do I feel like it hurts more because it’s Butch?_

She shook her head, clearing those thoughts away, and looked back up at Butch. Something had shifted in his otherwise unknowable expression, making it softer, somehow, like he almost _cared_ … _No, of course Butch doesn’t care about you, get yourself together._

“I-” Butch started, his voice catching in his throat. “I guess I’ve got nothing better to do. But you better not make me read that girly shit you like, Nosebleed!” The small threat pulled a laugh from her throat, clearing away the ‘kicked puppy’ face she was making.

“Oh, you’re gonna read the _girliest_ shit!” She threw the teasing words out and scampered off to get her library card before Butch could get angry at her. Butch only huffed, rolling his eyes. When Lilian returned, Butch was holding the book she had left behind, the one she was reading earlier that morning. She gave him a quizzical look as he handed it to her.

“I, uh, I thought you might need to return that. To the library, I mean.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks.” She took the book and gestured for him to head out the door.

“Um, you’ll have to lead the way, I’ve never been the the library before.” She stared at him a moment before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

“You _can’t_ be serious!”

“I am. Now hurry up, before I change my mind.”

Lilian only rolled her eyes and continued out the door, her feet finding her well-worn path to the library without her having to think too much about it. She hummed slightly to herself as she walked, thinking about what book she would read next. _Do I want to keep reading fantasy? Or maybe I’ll move on to a mystery… I wonder what Butch will pick out. Not that I care! But I wonder if it will be something I’ve read before. I wouldn’t be surprised, I’m just amazed I haven’t read through the whole library yet._ She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the person coming toward them until it was too late.

“Oof!” She looked up, and realized she had smacked straight into the overseer. “Overseer! I’m so sorry.”

“Ah, you’re quite alright Ms. McKenzie,” the man said, though from the look he gave her, it was far from ‘alright.’ “Or should I say Mrs. DeLoria?” He gave her a disgusting smile with that last sentence, and Lilian felt Butch recoil behind her. In a panic, she reached behind her and grabbed Butch’s wrist, giving it a cautionary squeeze, and hoping against hope he understood what she meant by it.

“Oh, well, I suppose that _is_ my name now, isn’t it?” She said, letting out an awkward laugh and moving so that she was standing beside Butch, instead of in front of him, though still holding his wrist. The overseer chuckled, a sound that made Lilian’s stomach turn.

“And where are you two off to, might I ask?” Lilian had been expecting this, and she schooled her features into a slightly embarrassed smile, ignoring her heart pounding in her ears. She shifted her hand so that her fingers were intertwined with Butch’s instead of wrapped around his wrist, slightly exaggerating the movement so that Almodovar would see.

“Ah, um, late breakfast, we only just woke up… We had a busy night, if you get what I mean.” She finished her little fib off with a playful wink, before quickly glancing up to try and assess how Butch was doing, and if his reaction would give them away. Her fleeting view of his face showed that he was blushing deeply, his eyes looking everywhere but the overseer. _Good, this is going to work._

“Oh! Well I’d better let you get to it, then. Take care, you love birds!” He called as he strolled off down the hall, chortling the whole way. As soon as he was out of sight she dropped Butch’s hand, heaving a sigh of relief.

“The hell was _that_?!” Butch yelped, clearly extremely embarrassed and confused by the whole encounter.

“ _That_ was me covering our asses. Why didn’t you warn me about Almodovar?” She tacked the question on the end of her statement as the thought had occurred to her.

“I was…. Distracted,” He answered evasively. Lilian huffed at his response but only said:

“Whatever, let’s go before we run into anyone else. I don’t want to have to make up another story about us fucking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was so much from you guys, that I just wanted to say thank you so, so much. You have no idea how much every little comment or kudos means to me. You guys are what inspires me to keep writing, so thank you. 
> 
> Love,  
> Grace (The Author)


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